How To Install VirtualBox Extension Pack – Step By Step

Now, VirtualBox provides a lot of virtualization enhancements and improvements in comparison to the older versions of VirtualBox. However, some of the features such as Encrypted Virtual Machine and Remote Display require additional drivers and tools to function properly. These tools and drivers are composed in a single package called VirtualBox Extension Pack.

In this post, we will explain how to download and install VirtualBox Extension Pack. This post is a part of our Getting Started With VirtualBox step by step guide. We assume that you know what we have already covered with the getting started guide. Anyhow, you may visit the following link to read all the step by step VirtualBox articles.

You can think VirtualBox Extension Pack as similar to the VMware Tools. It is not mandatory to install VirtualBox Extension Pack (or VMware Tools in the case of VMware Workstation/Player) for a virtual machine. These tools just add the additional functionalities to the virtual machines. The VirtualBox Extension Pack is freely available to download from the VirtualBox Official website. You may use the following link to download VirtualBox Extension Packages.

VirtualBox Extension Pack: Step By Step Installation

Once you have downloaded the VirtualBox Extension Pack, you can install it to add additional functionalities to VirtualBox virtual machines. To install and use the VirtualBox Extension Pack, you need to perform the following steps:

Open the Preferences window and select Extensions in the left pane. Check whether the extension packages are already installed or not. If not available then click the Add new package icon.

Browse and select the Extension Package that you have downloaded.

Note: The Version of VirtualBox and Extension Pack must match.

Read the pop-up and note the features that will be available after installing the extension package. Click Install to proceed. Accept the license terms and complete the installation process.

Once the installation process is completed, you will see that the Extension Packages are added in the Extension section in the Preferences window.

Close the VirtualBox Preferences window.

That’s all about how to download and install VirtualBox Extension Pack. Now, you can proceed to configure and use some additional VirtualBox features. These features include Remote Display and Encrypted virtual machine. Please share your feedback and suggestions to improve the quality of articles.